The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) has shortlisted it in the excellence in social inclusion and excellence in innovation in the fight against poverty categories.
The service provides access to free, confidential, independent and impartial money advice. People are able to speak confidentially with a trained debt advisor and receive one-to-one advice about their individual situation. Support is delivered through a combination of community-based video kiosks providing a video call service, dedicated phone line and video and website chat functions via the Kent Money Advice Hub website.
It launched as a four-month pilot in the autumn, was then extended and since 1 November, there have been nearly 400 interactions seeking support, resulting in outcomes worth more £61,528. This includes help with benefits entitlement (new awards, maintaining entitlement and increasing benefits entitlement), household support, written off debts and reimbursements.
Clients were surveyed to assess their satisfaction with the service and the results have been encouraging with 99 per cent of responses showing people were happy or very happy with the overall advice received. There was also positive feedback around the video calling software with 90 per cent of clients who used video to access the service said they preferred it to telephone.
The Hub is being led by Citizens Advice in North and West Kent (CANWK), in partnership with a network of Citizens Advice offices across Kent.
The project, which is open to anyone in Kent concerned about money and its impact on their life, came in response to the increased cost of living pressures where the need for accessible debt advice was identified.
The video kiosks were placed in five locations around Kent, especially for people without access to devices or broadband in mind.
The Kent Money Advice Hub video kiosk in Aylesham
KCC’s Financial Hardship Programme Manager Lucy Alesbrook said: “This project makes more technological debt advice channels available for the first time in Kent. Public kiosks and video advice promotes flexible, confidential, and convenient access within trusted local settings.
“The service delivers high-quality debt advice that is accessible to those in need. Every client contacting the service receives an initial debt assessment and initial advice to determine the extent of their circumstances, as well as identifying other issues that may be impacting them and their ability to resolve their financial difficulties themselves.
“The experienced debt advisor will then assess the best course of action for the client. Depending on the complexity of the situation, the client may be referred to a specialist debt advice team.
“It has been recognised that financial struggles have a much wider impact on someone’s overall wellbeing and this project seeks to address that with preventative, wraparound support.”
Many community services have been engaged with the project, such as foodbanks, to enable them to signpost individuals to the service. The project has also utilised relationships with district and borough councils to ensure the service is promoted locally. The staff working at the centres where the kiosks are based are also key partners.
The IRRV, the professional body for local taxation, benefits and valuation, will virtually inspect the work of the Hub over the next three months with winners being announced in October.
Further information
Find out more about the Kent Money Advice Hub here: https://kentmoneyadvicehub.com/
